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Library 

OF  THE 

University  of  NortK  Carolina 

THE  LINDSAY  PATTERSON 
COLLECTION 

Given  as  a  memorial  by  his  wife 


Q>910.19-.U>1? 


# 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/surrerideringreenOOwalk' 


The  Surrender  in  Greensboro. 


The  enclosed  paper  is  a  true  copy  of  the  article 
read  before  the  U.  D.  C.  chapter,  of  Greensboro. 
It  was  intended  to  be  private  and  was  prepared  by 
request,  for  their  entertainment  and  amusement.  A 
woman  from  High  Point  got  possession  of  it,  and 
after  removing  the  objectionable  paragraphs  to  the 
Northern  press,  had  her  version  published  in  the 
N.  Y.  Tribune  as  the  original :      £  ,  ft*  [fC*JM+^ 

Greensboro  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  Confederacy : 
Ladies: — When  I  promised  a  compliance  with  your 
wishes  to  give  you  some  personal  reminiscences  of 
the  spring  of  1865,  following  the  surrender  of  Lee, 
and  its  attendant  sorrows  and  trials,  I  little  knew 
the  strain  on  memory  and  nerves  I  was  undertaking. 
For  years  after  the  event  the  recollection  of  the  ex- 
periences of  those  sad  days  was  banished  to  the  si- 
lent vaults  of  memory,  the  door  closed,  keys  lost. 

The  conditions  of  life  were  so  changed,  the  fearful 
present  was  upon  us  and  the  contemplation  of  the 
daily  situation  was  so  absorbing  and  appalling  we 
gave  no  time  nor  thought  to  the  past  years  of  con- 
flict. We  stood  confronting  new  problems  of  life  at 
every  turn,  and  the  solution  of  these  problems 
seemed  hopeless,  with  the  flower  of  our  youth  and 
strong  men  slain  on  the  battlefield  !    Property  value- 


less,  no  money,  and  the  former  slave  made  eo-equal 
with  his  master  at  the  ballot-box  to  make  laws. 

We  were  a  fallen  but  unconquered  nation  in  the 
hands  of  a  relentless  foe,  whose  iron  heel  on  the  neck 
of  his  victim,  thought  to  grind  out  the  indomitable 
spirit  of  a  people  whom  ethically  he  could  never  ap- 
preciate. Never,  never  should  the  veil  of  oblivion 
hide  from  our  view  the  studied  national  insults,  the 
intense  hatred  and  malice  of  stony-hearted  politi- 
cians. Even  the  sacred  arena  of  the  pulpit  was 
called  on  to  contribute  its  vituperation  on  the  arch- 
traitors,  and  crush  the  rebellious  spirit  of  the  South. 

Through  the  long  vista  of  thirty-six  years  I  pre- 
sume there  are  few  within  the  sound  of  my  voice  who 
can  recall  the  stunning  effect  upon  the  countiw  when 
the  news  of  Jackson's  death  reached  us.  The  South 
became  shrouded  in  gloom ;  hope  seemed  to  desert 
the  stoutest  hearts;  men,  pale  with  anxiety,  seemed 
to  realize  for  the  first  time  how  much  the  country 
leaned  on  that  arm  of  flesh  for  victor  v.  Grant,  with 
his  legions,  was  to  the  north  of  us;  Sherman,  with 
his  merciless  hordes,  was  making  the  Southern  skies 
livid  with  his  trail  of  fire  over  a  defenceless  country ; 
Kirk,  with  his  desperadoes,  poured  like  an  avalanche 
on  the  west,  and  was  more  to  be  feared  than  the  reg- 
ular army.  On  their  approach  all  stores  of  wines 
and  liquors  were  destro3^ed,  silverware  and  gold 
coins  were  buried,  meats  secreted  in  garrets  at  night, 
lest  Yankee  gold  should  tempt  the  faithful  slaves  to 
betray.  History  alone  can  tell  you  of  the  troublous 
times  of  those  winters  of  '64  and  '65. 

General  Beauregard  and  staff  came  to  Greensboro 
in  March,  spending  several  days  at  Bland  wood, 
Governor  Morehead's  mansion,  speeding  on  the  last 


3 

of  our  Confederate  troops  to  join  Lee.  Suspense 
was  ended  on  April  9,  1865,  when  Lee  surrendered 
to  Grant  at  Appomatox.  Before  leaving  Richmond 
the  officials  had  the  wounded  and  sick  sent  on  to 
Greensboro,  where  every  available  room  was  filled, 
and  had  been  full  all  winter  with  the  sick  and  dying. 
The  women,  to  their  honor,  be  it  said,  ministered  to 
them  daily  with  loving  care  and  sympathy.  The 
Confederate  navy  and  army  stores  at  Richmond 
were  also  sent,  by  the  Manassas  Gap  Railroad,  to 
Greensboro,  under  the  care  of  Commander  Lee,  a 
brother  of  General  Lee.  These  stores  he  kindly  dis- 
tributed to  the  sick  and  returning  soldiers  until  the 
surrender  of  Johnston,  when  he  turned  over  the  lot 
to  the  soldiers  and  citizens  to  prevent  their  capture 
by  the  Federal  troops. 

Commander  Lee  was  a  charming,  genial  old  man, 
whose  patient  endurance  of  army  rations  enlisted 
the  sympathy  of  my  mother,  who  begged  his  com- 
pany every  day  for  dinner  while  he  was  in  the  city, 
"to  enjoy  lettuce  and  onions."  The  earth  seemed  to 
yield  her  grateful  increase  of  turnip  greens,  lettuce 
and  onions.  These,  with  hot  cornbread,  seemed  to 
be  all  the  starving  and  uncomplaining  soldiers 
wanted. 

Mrs.  Davis  and  children  preceded  President  Davis 
from  Richmond,  and  by  invitation  spent  the  evening 
at  Bland  wood.  President  Davis  was  invited  to  the 
house,  but  declined,  "as  the  Federal  troops  might 
burn  the  house  that  had  sheltered  him  for  a  night." 
Memminger  and  his  wife  remained  over  several  days 
with  us  for  a  rest,  bringing  with  them  Alexander 
Stephens,  of  Georgia,  so  pale  and  careworn,  but  the 
price  was  on  his  head,  and  we  tearfully  bade    him 


God-speed.  Never  can  I  forget  the  farewell  scene 
when  the  brave  and  grand  Joseph  E.Johnston  called 
to  say  farewell,  with  the  tears  running  down  his 
brown  cheeks.  Not  a  wrord  was  spoken,  but  silent 
prayers  went  up  for  his  preservation.  The  Salisburj^ 
road  was  filled  with  the  retreating  troops — wretched, 
half-clad,  starving  and  very  many  shoeless.  E3^es 
wept  till  the  fountain  of  tears  was  exhausted. 

But  one  fine  morning,  amid  the  sound  of  bugles 
and  trumpets  and  bands  of  music,  the  Federals  en- 
tered Greensboro  fully  thirty  thousand  strong,  to 
occupy  the  town  for  some  weeks.  General  Cox  was 
in  command.  He,  Burnside,  Schofield  and  Kilpat- 
rick,  with  their  staffs,  sent  word  to  the  mayor  that 
they  would  occupy  the  largest  house  in  town  that 
night,  and  until  their  quarters  were  established,  in 
charge  of  Major  Howlett,  the}'  came  to  Bland  wood, 
which  already  sheltered  three  families  and  several 
sick  soldiers.  My  father  met  them  courteouslv  and 
received  them  as  guests,  a  fact  which  General  Cox 
appreciated,  and  after  placing  his  tent  in  the  rear  of 
Judge  Dick's  house  he  rode  up  ever\r  afternoon  to 
consult  with  the  Hon.  J.  A.  Gilmer  and  my  father  on 
the  conditions  of  the  country.  He  was  a  most  cour- 
teous and  elegant  man,  and  in  delicate  ways  dis- 
played his  sympathy  with  us ;  no  triumph  of  the 
conqueror  in  tone  of  voice  and  manner;  spoke  ten- 
derly of  the  misfortunes  of  war,  and  in  spite  of  our- 
selves won  our  hearts'  confidence. 

Very  soon  a  note  was  received  from  the  General 
announcing  the  arrival  of  Mrs.  Cox  and  the  hope 
was  expressed  that  "Mrs.  Gilmer  and  Mrs.  Walker 
would  do  him  the  honor  to  call  upon  his  wife."  Our 
superior  officers  ordered  a  compliance  with  his  wishes. 


but  what  to  wear  was  the  perplexing  question.  An 
old  silk,  dating  back  five  years  in  style,  came  from 
the  recesses  of  my  trunk,  the  "skyscraper"  was  the 
headgear,  shoes  and  gloves  that  had  run  the  block- 
ade and  been  purchased  at  enormous  figures.  Thus 
equipped,  we  called  upon  the  1  ad y  from  Cincinnati! 
She  received  us  in  Mrs.  Dick's  parlor  in  a  yellow 
morning  wrapper,  was  simple  in  manner,  dignified, 
bordering  on  stiffness,  in  contrast  with  the  genial 
manners  of  her  husband.  As  you  may  imagine,  the 
discourse  was  on  very  general  topics — the  skies,  the 
climate,  etc.,  of  North  Carolina — never  an  allusion 
to  the  events  of  the  last  four  years ! 

A  grand  review  of  all  the  troops  was  to  be  held  on 
the  next  Saturday,  and  a  pavilion  was  built  in  the 
centre  of  the  town — the  upper  story  to  be  occupied 
by  the  Federal  ladies.  By  9  o'clock  a  four-horse 
ambulance  with  outriders  was  sent  with  a  note  from 
General  Cox  again  "  begging  the  honor  of  Mrs.  Gil- 
mer's and  Mrs.  Walker's  company  with  Mrs.  Cox  to 
witness  the  review." 

Mrs.  Gilmer  flatly  told  her  husband  that  she  refused 
to  add  one  more  spectator  to  the  pageant,  for  it  was 
an  enemy's  bullet  which  had  maimed  her  only  son  for 
life.  Violent,  decisive  words,  and  very  ugly  ones,  too, 
were  spoken  by  the  other  lady,  but  a  peremptory  or- 
der was  given  and  with  bitter  tears,  accompanied  by 
one  of  our  soldiers,  she  went  to  the  pavilion,  to  be 
received  so  graciously  by  Mrs.  Cox.  Sullen,  speech- 
less, vindictive,  no  eulogy  was  paid  the  magnificent 
pageant,  the  gorgeous  display  of  new  uniforms,  glit- 
tering sabres  and  bayonets,  and  all  flushed  with 
victory  and  marching  to  the  music  of  splendid  bands. 

These  troops  remained  several  weeks  encamped  on 


6 

the  hills  around  the  town,  and  at  sunset  each  even- 
ing the  practising  of  the  various  bands  of  music 
would  again  open  the  floodgates  of  tears.  But  with 
the  morning  sun  the  avaricious  desire  for  their 
" greenbacks"  seized  the  ladies  of  the  town-;  pies, 
chicken  and  fruit,  beaten  biscuit,  ice  cream  and  cake 
poured  into  the  camps.  One  company  sent  me  a 
message  that  "the  ice  cream  was  not  rich  enough — 
needed  more  eggs.''  A  few  drops  of  tumeric  (often 
used  for  yellow  pickle)  covered  the  difficulty  and 
gave  satisfaction. 

The  reorganization  of  our  domestic  life  in  homes 
and  farms  came  up  for  consideration.  Wages  were 
paid  the  negroes  before  the  troops  left  the  town,  and 
their  behavior  was  respectful  and  creditable.  The 
philanthropic  North  sent  out  agents  to  purchase 
lands  for  homes,  churches  and  school  houses;  thus 
Warnerville  sprang  into  existence.  White  women 
came  as  teachers,  and  a  lonely  life  they  led  with  their 
only  friends.  As  the  farms  were  well  advanced  with 
the  growing  crops  the  negroes  remained  and  received 
wages  and  gave  no  trouble.  Sorghum  was  intro- 
duced during  the  war,  while  coffee,  so  called,  of 
parched  rye  and  sweet  potatoes,  refreshed  the  inner 
man. 

It  was  a  sw^eet  and  heroic  service  during  the  war  to 
wear  homespun  cloth,  leather  shoes  and  home-knit 
stockings,  but  when  all  was  over  and  patriotism 
no  longer  demanded  this  sacrifice  of  self  and  comfort, 
behold  we  had  no  money  with  which  the  wardrobe 
was  to  be  replenished,  no  laws  to  protect  person  or 
property.  Egyptian  darkness  covered  the  land  for 
months  until  the  manhood  of  the  South  asserted  it- 
self and  adjusted  the  disjointed  conditions  of  affairs. 


Maya  merciful  Providence  avert  a  repetition  of  such 
trials  to  this  generation.  -4 

In  the  words  of  Kipling,  "  Lest  we  forget — lest  we 
forget,"  let  us  teach  the  generations  following  us,  to 
their  country's  honor  and  valor,  there  are  some  fig- 
ures which  must  never  be  forgotten  in  the  history  of 
the  battles  of  America.  The  South  had  in  the  Civil 
war  600,000  men.  The  North  had  3,000,000,  and 
it  required  four  years  to  conquer  them.  When  the 
conquest  was  completed,  universal  suffrage  was 
given  to  700,000  negroes,  against  the  enrollment  of 
600,000  white  voters. 

Civilization  furnishes  no  parallel  in  history  to  this 
outrage  on  the  blood  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00032770653 

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THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


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